Wednesday, September 28, 2016

What's Next, Wednesday (23)


  •  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.


I'm looking forward to...

Absalom's Daughters by Suzanne Feldman. Two half-sisters embark on a road trip set in the 1950s. They're travelling to claim their inheritance while dealing with the racial tones of the time period. The description of this book promises beautiful prose and magical realism while sharing the sister's coming of age. 

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Teaser Tuesday (231)

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Rex (Kindle 9%)
- Adam Rocke, Mark Rodgers, Cody B. Stewart

TJ gave the egg another heave and managed to yank it free. 
Whoa!
Practically the size of a football, it was way bigger than any gator egg TJ had ever seen or heard of before.

Death by Diploma (Chalkboard Outlines #1)

26809659Emma Lovett leaves her philandering husband and crosses the country to begin her teaching career at a high school in Pinewood, Colorado.There, she meets Leslie Parker, a fellow teacher given to quoting Shakespeare to fit all situations, and the two become fast friends.

Arriving at work early one morning, Emma discovers the body of the school custodian, a man who reminds her of her late father. When the police struggle to find the killer, the ladies decide to help solve the murder. Their efforts lead them to a myriad of suspects: the schizophrenic librarian, the crude football coach, the mysterious social studies teacher, and even Emma’s new love interest.

As Emma Lovett discovers the perils of teaching high school, she and Leslie learn more than they ever wanted to know about the reasons people kill.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Southern Belle meets Colorado murder mystery in Kelley Kaye's Death by Diploma, the first in her Chalkboard Outline series. Emma begins teaching at Pinewood High School just before the school is struck by a tragedy -- one of the Janitors, Melvin, has been murdered. Leslie, Emma's first friend, is convinced that Detective Carl is too much of an idiot to close the case. This problem obviously has only one solution. Leslie and Emma: Pinewood High Detectives. 

Emma Lovett is a Southern girl who knows how to use her twang to get exactly what she wants. After leaving her husband, Emma decided to become a teacher and now she's living in Colorado with the rest of her life ahead of her. Emma's brave in a cautious way and readers will enjoy reading her internal mini-monologues. She has a good sense of humor, a big heart, and a love of teaching. Her sunny disposition is respectable because Emma has experienced things that could have taken away that smiling sincerity. but she doesn't allow that to happen. It seems to only increase her ability to care. 

Leslie becomes Emma's partner in crime solving and though she doesn't share the main character spotlight, she's very important to the story. Leslie has been teaching for a few years and she becomes a mentor of sorts for Emma. She's also a big comic relief and quotes Shakespeare quite often. Leslie also pushes Emma outside of her comfort zone, which I think helps Emma begin to really take charge of her new life. Readers will enjoy Leslie's attitude and laugh at her strict dispositions and random acts of cursing. 

It seems at odds with itself, but Death by Diploma is a rather light-hearted murder mystery. Emma and Leslie form a strong friendship, both develop love-interests, and they uncover the story of Melvin McManus, which is an interesting story by itself. There's lots of laughter in this novel as well as serious moments of sadness. It even has a bit of action and a surprise ending. Death by Diploma is a uniquely fresh murder mystery crossed with chick lit that will have readers quoting, or at least wanting to quote, Shakespeare by the final page.

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Pigeon-Blood Red

28223259For underworld enforcer Richard "Rico" Sanders, it seemed like an ordinary job. Retrieve his gangster boss's priceless pigeon-blood red ruby necklace and teach the double-dealing cheat who stole it a lesson. A job like a hundred before it. But the chase quickly goes sideways and takes Rico from the mean streets of Chicago to sunny Honolulu, where the hardened hit man finds himself in uncharted territory when a couple of innocent bystanders are accidentally embroiled in the crime.

As Rico pursues his new targets, the hunter and his prey develop an unlikely respect for one another and Rico is faced with a momentous decision: follow his orders to kill the couple whose courage and character have won his admiration, or refuse and endanger the life of the woman he loves?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Ed Duncan blurs the boundaries of good and evil in his crime novel, Pigeon-Blood Red. While the main characters are mostly cheats, gamblers, murderers, and thugs, it seems a few of them have a sense of honor. 

Through the opening chapters, I struggled to like the characters. Rico is an enforcer for a loan shark and his sense of 'business' is criminal. When the necklace goes missing, he even checks out his girlfriend by intimidating her with a knife, though Jean isn't the best person either. Rico is first depicted as a man who will do whatever it takes to complete a job because he believes that everyone he kills had it coming. 

Robert is a figuratively the scum of the earth. He wants to be a rich playboy but doesn't want to put in the work. He figured he could make money if he had more money and quickly got too caught up. Now he owes the loan shark, Litvak, thousands of dollars with no way to pay. When he sees the opportunity to steal the necklace (of pigeon-blood rubies) he takes it. But that isn't even the worst part. He drags his wife, Evelyn, into it. 

Evelyn is an innocent in the middle of all these criminals. She's a teacher who just wants her husband, Robert, to stop cheating on her and be a better man, a man she knows he could be. She decides to give him one last chance to redeem himself, a second honeymoon to Hawaii. At first he doesn't want to go, making him even worse, but after he steals the necklace, he's on the flight running away from Litvak and his thugs. 

While in Hawaii, Evelyn runs into Paul. Paul is an attorney who lost his wife a year earlier. He's known Evelyn since college and they were once mutually attracted. When Rico follows Robert to Hawaii, Evelyn finds herself in danger and Paul steps in to keep her safe. I think Evelyn and Paul were the only two characters that were likeable and relatable. Readers will sympathize with Paul's loss of his wife and admire his courage to help Evelyn. I think readers will nearly hate Robert as he has no good qualities that aren't part of his facade. But it's Rico who's the tricky one. It's not easy to paint a villain and turn him into something less evil, something nearly likeable, but Ed Duncan does just that. By the end of the novel, I almost respected him. Almost. 

The plot of the novel follows the necklace. The necklace is a priceless piece of jewelry made out of multiple pigeon-blood red rubies. When Robert steals it, trouble ensues, putting everyone in mortal danger. After his death in Hawaii, Evelyn and Paul escape, but feel like they're being followed. The police believe it's because of the necklace. The two must figure out a way to return the necklace and stay alive without having to look over their shoulders the rest of their lives. And that becomes the hardest part. For readers who enjoy action thrillers with a side of romance and crime, Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan may be the next book on the reading list.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (22)


  •  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

31698133


I'm looking forward to...

Moonlight War -- Act I by William Collins. This is a sequel to a book I reviewed a few weeks ago in the Realmers series. The main characters have advanced to level testing and dangerous missions while some student Venators have gone missing. While Brooke and Evan battle demons, werewolves, and vampires, they also have to keep the fact that they are part demon a secret. Otherwise they could be in even more danger ... maybe from their fellow students.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Teaser Tuesday (230)

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

28223259

Pigeon-Blood Red ( 92% Kindle)
   - Ed Duncan

The slowly ascending hand was holding a pistol. The man was clearly facing Evelyn and was about to take aim at her and fire.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

The Beast in the Jungle

10400601Henry James's devastating and profoundly moving novella is the story of John Marcher, a man who, for as long as he can remember, has been obsessed by the feeling that some life-changing - even catastrophic - event lies in wait for him like a jungle animal. Then the tragic day arrives on which the terrible true nature of the beast is revealed.

*Contains Spoilers*

Henry James writes a new telling of Narcissus, the mythic god, in his novella, The Beast in the Jungle, but in the form of a man. John Marcher knew from a young age that something horrendously terrible would happen to him someday. He finds a friend in May Bartram who he tells his secret to. As life goes on, they wait for the creature to reveal himself. 

John echoes Narcissus in many ways throughout this short tale. He's only concerned with himself and his beast, he uses May to breathe life into his fantasies, and has grand ideas and designs about himself. John falls in love with the idea that there's a monstrous thing waiting for him, singling him out, making him more special than anyone else. However, the beast isn't what he thinks. 

May Bartram is a good friend to John, always putting up with his wild claims. But it's more than than, she believes him, and I think she has a reason to believe him. It's insinuated that May knows what the beast is and I think for most of the novella, even most of her life, she did know. May gets sick about halfway through the story and John thinks that watching her die may be the beast. Though he's on the right track, he doesn't exactly have the truth of it. 

John is such a selfish person that readers will have trouble feeling bad for him as he watches his friend die. Though it isn't as if he cries and exhibits true feelings about it -- he's actually angered that they can't talk about his beast. He's upset because after May dies, he'll have no one to discuss his beast with, no one to feed his fantasies. 

However, a surprising turn of events transpires as May tells John before he dies that the beast has already struck. The realization of what the beast actually was does draw out sympathy for both characters. When John learns of what form the beast took, it is horrifying and sad and terrible -- because he missed his chance to live a life full of love and passion with May. 

As a lover of literature, I recommend this short novella to anyone who also enjoys classics and psychological analysis of characters.

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

What's Next, Wednesday (21)


  •  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

26809659

I'm looking forward to...

Death by Diploma by Kelley Kaye. Teacher Emma starts fresh in Colorado, away from her cheating husband. However, this fresh start turns a bit sinister when she finds the high school custodian dead. Emma and other ladies of the faculty get together to solve the murder, promising to be fun, if not quirky, mystery. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Teaser Tuesday (229)

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

28223259

Pigeon-Blood Red (Kindle 28%)
   - Ed Duncan

"Are you expecting someone?"
"No, why do you ask?" He was surprised it was that obvious. He was still terrified that Litvak's henchmen might sneak up behind him any minute.

The Trouble with Ghosts - Cover Reveal


Welcome to the cover reveal of The Trouble with Ghosts!

A.L Kessler presents:
The Trouble with Ghosts (Here Witchy Witchy Book Three)
Release Day: November 7, 2016
Genre: Urban Fantasy

And now, the cover:



This cover promises suspense and more than a little excitement!

Meet A.L Kessler: 
A.L. Kessler is a paranormal romance and fantasy author known for her bestselling Here Witchy Witchy series. She's a member of the Pikes Peak Writers and Midnight Writers in Colorado Springs, CO. Her most recent work is the fifth book in her Dark War Chronicles, The Edge of Darkness and plans on releasing the third book of the Here Witchy Witchy series in November 2016. Her addictions to coffee and chocolate keep her fueled through her busy life of being a mom, author, student, and wife. You can learn more about her on her webiste: www.amylkessler.com 



Monday, September 12, 2016

The Silkworm

18214414When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before...

*May Contain Spoilers*

Robert Galbraith continues the investigative prowess of Cormoran Strike in this sequel to The Cuckoo's Calling, The Silkworm. Beginning as an assignment to find a missing person, this novel evolves into a story of grisly murder, the malevolence of fiction, and the hatred between old friends. 

Cormoran Strike is ex-military with a memory like a vault and the urge to find answers. While juggling cheating partners, Cormoran decides to take on the writer's disappearance because of something other than the promise of pay. This case is important to the mousy wife and the mentally challenged daughter. Strike is a man who has seen suffering in his life, experienced it, and his big heart won't let him turn Mrs. Quine down because of money. Readers will enjoy Strike's determination and feel empathy for his own pains, that pop up quite often through the book. His focus, bravery, and persistence create a respectable character who readers believe will solve this case. 

In this book, readers get to see more of Robin as she starts to officially take part in investigations. Readers learn that she's got her sights set on being a private detective and considers her job incredibly important. Through her own dedication and her relationship with her fiance, Matthew, readers will witness that Robin is an invaluable asset as a detective, committed to her work, and considerate and caring. 

The plot of this book is tricky and filled with murder suspects. It begins with Quine being reported missing leading Strike to retrace his steps, trying to determine where he went. When Strike does find him, murdered, it's quite an elaborate set-up: ropes, acid, body parts missing, place settings as if for a dinner party. And it's all because of a book that hasn't been published yet. A book that trashes and reveals secrets of everyone Quine knows. With Mrs. Quine becoming the prime suspect, Strike decided to keep the case, but now he's determined to discover who the murderer is. Those who loved the first book will thoroughly enjoy the twisted storyline of this sequel. It's interesting, intriguing, and hard to figure out (if you're one who likes to try to solve the mystery before the ending). Though, I'll tell you, there is one specific clue towards the end of the book that reveals the killer. If you read the sentence with emphasis on a certain word, it narrows down the suspect list to one. Here's hoping that Galbraith has more mysteries planned. I certainly enjoyed the writing style and layout of the mystery. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Read the review of The Cuckoo's Calling

16160797


Note: Robert Galbraith is a pen name for J.K Rowling.

Friday, September 9, 2016

A Darker Shade of Sorcery (The Realmers #1)

28602062The lonely and grieving Evan Umbra is the newest Venator to enter Veneseron, the school for demon hunters.

A Venator is a wizard, a spy and a demon hunter rolled into one. They’re taught how to wield their sorcery and enchanted weaponry by orcs, elfpires and aliens alike.
Their missions range from battling monsters and saving countless lives in the multiple worlds, to the more peculiar, like wrangling killer unicorns and calming down drunken yetis.
In their free time Venators enjoy goblin soap-opera’s and underwater bubble travel, but they also understand that every new mission they’re given could be their last.
Whilst learning how to manipulate the elements, summon magical creatures and shoot Spellzookas, Evan meets a girl who makes him feel nauseous; but in a good way.

He makes the first friends he’s ever had in the carefree Jed and the reckless Brooke. Whilst Jed gets on the wrong side of a rival Venator, Brooke finds herself falling for the enigmatic demon hunter who brought her to Veneseron, not knowing he isn't quite human. But it soon becomes apparent that Evan is more than just a Venator. Everyone wants to kill or capture him, from demons to Dark-Venators and even people he’s supposed to be able to trust.

Evan reckons he probably won’t survive his first year at Veneseron.

*May Contain Spoilers*

William Collins creates a universe that contains many different planets, realms, races, and threats in his novel, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, the first book in The Realmers series. Demon hunting has been taken to the extreme as people from all over the universe, who have the power to perform sorcery, come to Veneseron to train. They train to fight demons and dark-realmers, students who have been turned evil. Among the new recruits are Evan and Brooke, two teens from Earth who have no idea how special and unique they are. 

Evander, Evan for short, hated his life. His Gram, the woman who found him abandoned as a baby, died and there was nothing he could do. Living in the orphanage, Evan was often attacked by a group of teenage thugs. Until the day he finds out that he has a bit of magic within him. And by find out I mean, of course, kidnapped by evil demons who want to convert him. Luckily, he is saved and taken to Veneseron to train to be a demon hunter. Though he is still hunted, even as a student. Evan is a young man who is given the chance to rise above his fears. He's unsure of himself at first, but readers will see his confidence grow as he trains. Evan is loyal, friendly, and strong. His old fears push him to be braver and better than he was before. Readers will undoubtedly like Evan as he grows into a courageous fighter. They'll also understand his fears of putting his friends in danger, since the demons only seem to want him, yet they'll kill anyone who tries to get in their way. 

Brooke was ignored by her family, often feeling alone and a little lost. When she's found by the Realmer team, ordered to take her to Veneseron, her fear of the unknown and leaving her family freezes her into indecision. Yet, she accepts that she has been granted magic and vows to study and train to be a demon hunter, though the thought terrifies her. Brooke's a young girl who is nice, understanding, and curious. Readers will witness her falling in love for the first time and see how it affects her. They'll also see her grow into her abilities and find strength through training. She also displays a bit of loyalty, standing by Evan as he is fearful of being hunted by the demons. 

The plot involves Brooke and Evan training at Veneseron, exploring the new world, and forming friendships. It's also focused on the hunt for Evan, hinting that something bigger is at play. The descriptions and details that Collins gives the readers are incredible. Everything is new and unique that even during the down time of the novel, readers will enjoy learning about Veneseron and the possible magical abilities. I couldn't help thinking that it was like Hogwarts for demon hunting, reminiscent of Clare's Shadowhunter series. Readers who enjoy fantasy and supernatural genres will thoroughly enjoy A Darker Shade of Sorcery, with all of the twists, surprises, and revelations. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

What's Next, Wednesday (20)


  •  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

10400601


I'm looking forward to...

The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James. Reading this for a class I'm taking. James is supposed to be a psychological master so I'm excited to dive into this novella this week. It all revolves around a young man who feels as if he's missing something in his life and a woman who promises to help watch for it. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Teaser Tuesday (228)

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

28602062

A Darker Shade of Sorcery (Kindle p.127 )
   - William Collins

Late in his room one night, he sat on his bed, palm outstretched as he concentrated on trying to make fire appear in his hands again

No matter how hard he tried, nothing happened.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

As I Lay Dying

77013At the heart of this 1930 novel is the Bundren family's bizarre journey to Jefferson to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Faulkner lets each family member, including Addie, and others along the way tell their private responses to Addie's life.

*May Contain Spoilers*

William Faulkner has always been a favorite author of mine. Especially since I studied at a college with a center dedicated to his works and had a few professors who taught his work in class. As I Lay Dying is one of Faulkner's best works and it's uniqueness is fresh and inspiring. In this book he utilized stream of consciousness writing, giving his narrators freedom to be themselves. As the mother of the Bundren family dies, her husband and children plan to fulfill their promise of taking her to Jackson to be buried. 

Each character has a bit about them that readers can relate to. Though they also have their faults and make a number of mistakes. Looking at Addie first, the mother, readers see that she was never a real loving person. She didn't enjoy motherhood and after she had given her husband enough children, she decided that she was ready to die. Anse, the father, is manipulative and uses his status as a poor man to guilt his neighbors into helping him. I suppose he tries his best, but he's a bit too selfish to be a real likeable character. 

The children are the characters that readers will relate to the most. Cash and Darl are the oldest. Darl fought in the war and struggles to accept his mother's death. Throughout the novel, he slides into insanity, suffering from schizophrenia. Readers will sympathize with his devastating experience of loss and its effects. Cash craves his mother's approval. Readers witness this as he makes his mother's coffin, holding each board up, silently asking if it's good enough for her. He also has some bad luck, breaking his leg halfway through the journey. Readers will certainly feel for Cash as the family lacks the empathy to care for him. Jewel is Addie's son from an affair and has a lot of anger for his mother. It isn't clear whether he knows of his father, but it is hinted at. Readers will understand his anger and also connect a little with Addie because she thinks of Jewel as the only child made of love. 

Dewey-Dell is the only daughter of the Bundren family and she's in a heap of trouble. This adds more conflict to the story and comments on female oppression during that time period. Dewey-Dell is pregnant and doesn't want to have the child. Her boyfriend, Lafe, gives her money to have an abortion but she struggles to find a doctor that will help her. She ends up getting tricked into having a sexual encounter with a pharmacy worker. Readers will have their own opinions of Dewey-Dell, understanding her predicament or disliking her for her choices and wants. 

Vardaman is the youngest Bundren, not wanting to accept that his mother is dead. He mentally turns her into a fish and pretends she's still alive. His rejection of the situation is saddening and no one offers him an explanation for what happened. He receives little comfort from his family. 

As the Bundren family makes their way from their farm to Jackson, they encounter many setbacks and bad luck. As I Lay Dying has a few odd twists and turns that will puzzle readers, implying that there's more to the story than first appears. A surface reading of this novel will not provide the proper interpretation. A deeper look is required. Readers who enjoy analyzing classic literature will enjoy tackling this one as it offers many different interpretations. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Friday, September 2, 2016

Evelyn dear Fender

30175882Isn’t believing you have a chance, even when you don’t, better than knowing you don’t when you don’t?

Evelyn Hatfield sets out to be the first to reach the mythological land of Methania. But before her epic journey can begin, she must first suffer high school jealousies, the apathy of conformity, and a pair of clueless parents--all while learning to sail.

Through chance, and a few innocent manipulations and half-truths, Evelyn finally sets sail for the distant horizon where she and her stowaway monkey, Bobo, do battle with their most fearsome enemy, the weather... and lose. Shipwrecked on a tiny island, 4,000 miles from home, she meets Fender Spigot, an equally shipwrecked explorer from Methania who, having never heard a language other than his own, gibber-jabbers his way into her heart.

Regardless of their communication issues, they manage to help each other escape the island—Evelyn, sailing east, and Fender, west—only to discover that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But how can they, again, find each other with such a monstrous ocean and a thousand misunderstandings between them?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Evelyn dear Fender, by Rodney Jones, is a novel of discovery, symmetry, and adventure. This novel takes place either in the future or on a planet similar to ours. Evelyn has heard stories all her life about explorers who tried to reach Methania, a fabled continent, never to be heard from again. Her dream: She wants to be the first explorer to find it and return. 

First off, the way this book is written is funny in itself. The language used is similar to how we use it, but there are some obvious differences right away. Words have evolved further and it takes a few chapters to get used to the substitutions Jones has made. Evelyn is the main character and when readers first see her, she's a young dreamer. As a few years pass, Evelyn becomes an intelligent, hopeful, courageous girl who suddenly remembers that she wanted to sail across the world. Readers will be able to relate their dream to Evelyn's and make a connection with her. They'll see how much Evelyn wants this to happen that she's willing to do anything for it, even commit herself to a deep denial that nothing could *really* go wrong. 

When Evelyn crashes into an island, after a big storm, Fender is formally introduced. Fender is from the opposite side of the world and speaks a very different language (same words, different meanings) than Evelyn. Of course, they both think the other is insane, at first. It's very interesting how Jones wrote this new language and included parenthetical translations for his readers. The words and translations give humor to a dire situation. Fender is sweet, brave, helpful, and even gets a chance to be heroic. As the two communicate, trying to escape the island, Evelyn and Fender fall in love. They both think that they need to return to the respective families, and not to spoil the end but they don't. :) 

With both characters so likeable it's easy to enjoy this fun, adventurous novel. I only really had one problem with it. On the way back from the island, Evelyn runs out of food and is slowly starving. I know this gives the book a sense of urgency and fear, but all I could think was 'She should have brought a fishing pole.' 

However, the main thing I want to discuss is the symmetry of the world. There's a map at the beginning of the book that helps but it's described as two continents with an "entwine" or "eye" in the middle. And each citizen on one continent has a soul mate on the opposite. Rodney Jones gave the story a good creative spin when he came up with this idea. Very unique and interesting. And readers will notice it as Evelyn and Fender are described similarly and their outlooks on life align. Evelyn dear Fender was such a fun novel to read full of interesting language and dangerous adventure. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Check out these novels also by Rodney Jones:

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